Electric power delivery networks, or “grids”, can be vulnerable to outages for a great variety of reasons, and it is safe to assume that no network or grid is immune. In view of this inevitability, it is important for utility companies (or “utilities”) to detect and pinpoint (or localize) the source of a power outage as quickly as possible. For instance, utilities may need to pay significant penalties for outages over an extended period of time, while outages can and do lead to significant revenue loss in any case.
Thus, it has long been recognized that quick and efficient outage detection and localization can remedy problems as just discussed, reducing restoration time, utility crew involvement and, by extension, overhead and maintenance costs. Over time, an increase in the utility's reliability can only enhance its public image in addition to avert significant monetary losses. However, to date, conventional arrangements for detecting and localizing outages have still yet to offer utilities and other entities a level of benefits and advantages considered to be desirable and within reach.